I watched many scary movies this month since Halloween is coming up and there are quite a few "based on true story" films out there. When I was growing up, I also used to hear about supposedly real tales from people in our church of demonic activity in their homes. These tales were the sort of things you see in movies where furniture flies around and people are lifted up in the air, etc.

Why do you think exorcisms work, since they almost always call upon the God of the Bible? (As I bolded that, I thought of an old Judas Priest song lyric "god of the devils, god of the devils." Some of the Gnostics basically thought the Bible was upside-down and that the God of the Bible was actually the evil one. It would funny if that were the case and commanding out the demons in the name of God was really just using a superior devil in the hierarchy to exorcise the poor victim.

It would be interesting to see a movie about a Buddhist exorcism. Are there any?

Anyway, I recommend Apartment 143, The Possession and The Conjuring for a good demonic scare. Some of the new ones I've seen that are actually pretty good and scary.

"Use what seems like poison as medicine. We can use our personal suffering as the path to compassion for all beings." Pema Chodron

Last night I watched the 'Ghost Adventures' 100th episode which took place in the house the film 'The Exorcist' was based on... it was pretty good. Made me wonder the same thing though, what class of being would these 'demons' be?

In the movies, the priests performing the exorcism either always die or are beaten up badly, and the demonic recidivism rate is really high . In the all the tales I have ever heard about Buddhist monks performing exorcism, they usually do some chanting and and eat a nice lunch. Their success rate is 100%. I can't help but wonder if the Church is doing it wrong?

ball-of-string wrote:In the movies, the priests performing the exorcism either always die or are beaten up badly, and the demonic recidivism rate is really high . In the all the tales I have ever heard about Buddhist monks performing exorcism, they usually do some chanting and and eat a nice lunch. Their success rate is 100%. I can't help but wonder if the Church is doing it wrong?

LOL

You think?

Contentment is the ultimate wealth;Detachment is the final happiness. ~Sri Saraha

padma norbu wrote:Some of the Gnostics basically thought the Bible was upside-down and that the God of the Bible was actually the evil one. It would funny if that were the case and commanding out the demons in the name of God was really just using a superior devil in the hierarchy to exorcise the poor victim.

Well, you have to wonder, -if we are really analyzing the mythos of the Bible with a Buddhist lens, then examining all of the jealous and wrathful, vengeful activities of the god of the Old Testament. . . you'd have to guess he was a being in the gyalpo (king demon) class. If that were so, he may indeed be powerful enough to subjugate lesser entities like local malevolent forces tied to specific times and places.

Of course, most exorcisms are performed by Christians, not Jews, and Jesus' name is specifically invoked. Perhaps if the intent of the priest is pure, and their faith sincere, in a spirit of compassion and good-will they call upon higher forces-- this more-illuminated positive quality of their own mind may be what repels the negative force, even if the priest attributes it to an external force. Or alternatively there could indeed be a bodhisattva who identifies with the name Jesus, to benefit theists. . . or something like that. . !

Contentment is the ultimate wealth;Detachment is the final happiness. ~Sri Saraha

padma norbu wrote:Some of the Gnostics basically thought the Bible was upside-down and that the God of the Bible was actually the evil one. It would funny if that were the case and commanding out the demons in the name of God was really just using a superior devil in the hierarchy to exorcise the poor victim.

Well, you have to wonder, -if we are really analyzing the mythos of the Bible with a Buddhist lens, then examining all of the jealous and wrathful, vengeful activities of the god of the Old Testament. . . you'd have to guess he was a being in the gyalpo (king demon) class. If that were so, he may indeed be powerful enough to subjugate lesser entities like local malevolent forces tied to specific times and places.

Of course, most exorcisms are performed by Christians, not Jews, and Jesus' name is specifically invoked. Perhaps if the intent of the priest is pure, and their faith sincere, in a spirit of compassion and good-will they call upon higher forces-- this more-illuminated positive quality of their own mind may be what repels the negative force, even if the priest attributes it to an external force. Or alternatively there could indeed be a bodhisattva who identifies with the name Jesus, to benefit theists. . . or something like that. . !

"The Possession" is a movie about a Jewish exorcism. He does a pretty good job, doesn't get hurt and nobody dies. I have also seen video of Islamic exorcism. They usually exorcise Jinn, I think, and in the name of Allah, but it's one of those Abrahamic religions somehow.

Makes sense what you have said about the gyalpo, etc. Glad I brought it up.

"Use what seems like poison as medicine. We can use our personal suffering as the path to compassion for all beings." Pema Chodron

I guess this thread is dead already but I wanted to say thanks for the instantly great replies. I particularly like the comment about priests getting beaten up and dying while buddhists chant for a while and then go have a nice lunch.

"Use what seems like poison as medicine. We can use our personal suffering as the path to compassion for all beings." Pema Chodron

I've seen so many instances of poltergeists that it doesn't bother me anymore. If they make a mess, I clean it up. We're both in samsara. Preoccupation with "me" and "them",... What harm we can do to each other is so minor compared to the situation we're in: it's so infinitesimal.

Once I think I was almost possessed. It felt like the pressure in my body was changing, my heart was swelling, my body filling with rage that was reaching out into my limb. I clenched the heart region out of fear I would do something to harm someone and my body went numb, paralyzed with a sort of buzzing vibration feeling. I think that stopped the possession.

That person I felt compelled to beat turned out to be a murderer among other things. I have no idea what(good or bad) may have attempted to posses me though.

I heard if you're being possessed that you should fill and solidify the energy in the body leaving no place for something else to inhabit.

The way I see it, there's a few options:A: It's all in people's imaginations, and it's a placebo affect. It's not like there's any proof there's actually demons.B: Negative spirits respond to positive, helpful energy and intentions, and the religious details and words don't actually matter.C: Buddhist demons affect Buddhist practitioners, Christian demons affect Christians, etc.

Spirits/ghosts/demons/poltergeists are so common you have to be in denial to deny it.

I remember one night I was with some friends at my house and one of them said they don't believe in ghosts. Then this can of peas on the bar in front of her moved from one side to another. LOLThe look on her face!

I remember another time I was at a meeting and somehow this stuff came up. A guy in the meeting interrupted to say he didn't believe in that stuff and his chair broke seconds afterwards. It was one of those folding chairs so he had to get help to get out of it lol.

I think Buddhist "exorcisms" have a different outcome for a lot of reasons. In Buddhism, even the most vile villain can achieve redemption. Devadatta was a bad guy who will be a future Buddha. Every villain story I can think of has a redemption postscript. When a being goes to Hell, this is not an eternal placement. When Buddhist monastics perform an exorcism, they don't damn the demon or ghost or entity to Hell, but flood it with Metta, and pray for its redemption. The entity either becomes a compassionate being because of the overwhelming compassion displayed towards it, or it must flee because it cannot tolerate such strong compassion.

In the movies: the priests act from a place of hatred for Satan and all of his minions. They attempt to banish the demons to eternal Hell, where they belong. Perhaps not unrelated, in the movies the priests drink alcohol and fall into sensual lust/love with the female supporting character. Hatred and aversion, drinking and lust, are all energies that make the demon stronger.